Saudi Arabia awaits one of century’s longest eclipses after 75 years

Dubai: Saudi Arabia is set to witness one of the most remarkable astronomical events of the 21st century when a rare total solar eclipse crosses large swathes of the kingdom on August 2, 2027, bringing one of the century's longest eclipses into view for millions of residents and visitors.

The eclipse will plunge parts of western and southern Saudi Arabia into darkness for nearly six minutes, an unusually long period that will provide scientists and skywatchers with a rare opportunity to study the Sun's corona. 

According to the Saudi Space Agency, cities including Abha could experience up to six minutes of totality, while Jeddah and sections of the western coast are expected to see darkness lasting about five minutes and 50 seconds. 

The agency said the event will mark Saudi Arabia as one of the world's premier locations for observing and documenting the eclipse, while neighbouring Egypt is forecast to experience the eclipse's maximum duration.

Residents across the rest of the kingdom will also witness a partial eclipse, with some regions expected to see up to 80 per cent of the Sun obscured, although the exact timing and coverage will vary by location. 

The Saudi Space Agency urged the public to observe the phenomenon safely, warning against looking directly at the Sun without certified eclipse glasses or specialised filtered equipment.

Majed Abu Zahra, president of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, said the eclipse's path of totality will begin along the Red Sea coast before sweeping across dozens of cities and governorates, including Mecca, Jeddah, Taif, Al Baha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran. 

During totality, daylight will briefly resemble twilight, temperatures are expected to fall noticeably, and the Sun's outer corona will become visible, with some bright stars and planets also appearing in the darkened sky.